Boy scouts struggling to recruit new members

The local boy scouts say a decision by the Eau Claire school district is making it tougher to recruit new members.

Gary Gilger with the scouts says for years they would go into the schools and talk to kids about scouting. But recently the Eau Claire School District decided against allowing them in to do that, because it could conflict with a federal equal access law.

Gilger says the organization is down about 75 1st grade students this year. But school leaders say they had to make this decision.

Tom Leibham with the Eau Claire School District says, "Under the equal access law, if we allow the scouts to come in and promote, then other organizations can promote. And that really gets to be a bit dicey, and those things are best left to parents and children, and not the school district making those decisions."

Leibham says the school district is in the process of gathering information from community organizations so parents can see what is offered in both a mailing and on the district's website.The scouts have a recruitment night scheduled for October 25th at Chaos Water Park in Eau Claire.

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